Harriss History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Harriss family's name is derived from the ancient Norman culture that was established in Britain following the Norman Conquest of island in 1066. Their name originated with an early member who was a person who was the son of the ruler of the property upon which he lived. Initially, le Herisse, the name came to England with the Norman Conquest, and is of Old French derivation. Another derivation, which is probably more common shows that the name is a version of the Old English given name Harry. 1 Although both derivations are valid time has confused them and historians now disagree on which is appropriate in a given situation.
Early Origins of the Harriss family
The surname Harriss was first found in Normandy, where Hericius and his brothers were in 1022 prohibited by King Robert of France from making inroads of on the estates of a neighbouring abbey. "Henricus was father of Ancelin de Beaumont who in 1086 held a barony in Nottinghamshire. Ivo Fitz-Herice or De Heriz, his son was Viscount of Nottinghamshire before 1130." 2
His sons quickly spread through Britain as seen by Robert Fitz-Herice who was mentioned in a charter of Barberie Abbey, executed by Henry II; Josceline Fitz-Herice mentioned in Huntingdonshire in 1156; and William who held two fees in Nottinghamshire and four in Lincolnshire in 1165. Humphrey Hairez was listed in Berkshire in 1158.
William Herez held an estate in Wiltshire in the 13th century and later one of his descendants held estates in Salisbury in 1469 and was ancestor of the Earls of Malmsbury who also have three herrisons on their arms. 2
"Harris and Heris are armorially identified, each bearing three herissons (hedgehogs) in allusion to the name." 2
"Wootton Hall [in Wooton, Northamptonshire], the seat of W. Harris, Esq., stands elevated, and commands extensive prospects: the grounds are surrounded with thriving plantations." 3
"Radford, in Plymstock, [Devon] has been a seat of the Harris family for nearly 500 years. Here Ralegh is said to have been kept in ward on his return in 1618, and here at times Drake stored much of his treasure. " 4
Early History of the Harriss family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harriss research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1080, 1399, 1483, 1581, 1588, 1596, 1600, 1628, 1631, 1644, 1649, 1650, 1658, 1661, 1666, 1671, 1677, 1680, 1685, 1686, 1719, 1775 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Harriss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Harriss Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of forenames and surnames were common. Originally all records were in Latin and translating a record, whether it was a surname or village name was dependent on a verbal translation into the language of the times. Languages evolved too and that complicated entries. Spellings often changed in a person’s lifetime in various rolls (censuses) of the time. Many variations of the name Harriss have been found, including Harris, Harries, Harrys, Harryss, Haries, Haris, Hairis and many more.
Early Notables of the Harriss family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John ap Harry of Poston in Vowchurch, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1399; Robert Harris (1581-1658), an English clergyman, known as a Puritan preacher, member of the Westminster Assembly, and President of Trinity College, Oxford; John Harris (Harrys) (c.1588-1658), an English academic and clergyman, Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford, long-time Warden of Winchester College, and a member of the Westminster Assembly; Peter Harris (the elder) (died 1680), a British buccaneer, one of the captains...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harriss Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Harriss Ranking
In the United States, the name Harriss is the 13,271st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5
Migration of the Harriss family to Ireland
Some of the Harriss family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Harriss migration to the United States +
For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Harriss were among those contributors:
Harriss Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Thomas Harriss, aged 38, who arrived in New York in 1812 6
- William Harriss, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1847 6
- Robert Harriss, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1876 6
Harriss migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Harriss Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. John Harriss, (b. 1854), aged 23, Cornish Miner travelling aboard the ship "Trevelyan" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 30th December 1877 7
Harriss migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Harriss Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. William Harriss, (b. 1846), aged 28, English settler from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Sussex" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 17th July 1874 8
Contemporary Notables of the name Harriss (post 1700) +
- Riley C. Harriss, American politician, Member of Nebraska State Senate, 1919-21 9
- Judson E. Harriss, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1956 9
- Hayden Harriss (1889-1976), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 1944 9
- Andrew Paul Harriss (1954-2022), Australian politician, Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from March 2014 to February 2016, representing the electorate of Franklin
- Morris Harriss Samitz (b. 1909), well-known Jewish physician and professor
- George Harriss Bellamy (1856-1924), American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives from Brunswick County, 1893, 1913-14; Member of North Carolina State Senate, 1903-04, 1907-08, 1911-12
- Harriss Newman (1897-1954), American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives, 1931-33; Member of North Carolina State Senate 9th District, 1935; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 1948
Historic Events for the Harriss family +
- Mr. Arnold Harriss, British Electrical Artificer 4th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 10
The Harriss Motto +
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Ubique patriam reminisci
Motto Translation: Everywhere to remember one's country.
Citations +
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 19). Emigrants to Australia NSW 1860 -88 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/nsw_passenger_lists_1860_88.pdf
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html